SmartSheet Secrets
by BlackWidowPretty
Summary: H/T romance. I know, I know, a lot of people hate H/T. But even if do, please read this. Don't be so shallow-minded. I changed my friend's mind with this story, and you might just find that you like it. So please read and review.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! Again! I have finished my other story "Afraid of Change" and now I have started a new one. As compared to later chapters, this may seem very laid back. It gets very emotional in later chapters. Also, it might not be appropriate for the younger viewers. If people would stop ignoring ratings and warnings, maybe we wouldn't have that problem, but whatever.**

**I don't own Artemis Fowl. But I do own SmartSheet and any characters that pop up along the course of this story that are not recognized as Eoin Colfer or any other author's. Read on, my pretties.**

Captain Holly Short strode into Police Plaza. She was having a particularly good day. She had gotten up early enough to have a complete breakfast. Almost no traffic had stood in her way on her journey to work. She even happily whistled an old pixie song as she waltzed up the steps to the swinging doors. Nothing could spoil her day.

Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Just as Holly was jumping through the doors, attempting to strike a pose on the last note of her tune, Commander Trouble Kelp was walking out for a coffee break. The two elves smashed into each other and the coffee splashed all over Holly's suit. Trouble fell forward, forcing Holly to the floor. Some of the liquid on her suit now decorated his face a dark brown. A few drops fell onto Holly's chin.

She licked her lips. "De-caf? That's not like you, Trouble. Sorry--_Commander_."

Trouble grew red. He started to get up, slipping in coffee a couple times. Holly couldn't help but laugh.

"It's hardly a laughing matter, Captain. It takes my mum hours to get these suits clean enough to wear." The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. He gritted his teeth in anticipation of her remark.

Holly did not disappoint him. Echoes of laughter vibrated the front entrance. His face grew bright red as he waited for her laughter to subside. It took several minutes. Wiping away happy tears, Holly snickered, "Do I really need to add a smart comment to that?" Trouble's angry face was answer enough. Holly cleared her throat. "Right, sorry, sir."

"You seem to be in a jolly mood today, Captain Short," Trouble said, a hint of regret in his voice, which Holly frowned at.

"Is that a bad thing, sir?" she asked puzzled.

Trouble shook himself. "Just make sure you don't make it contagious. I don't want everybody skipping around singing happy tunes. That would be a nightmare."

"Yessir."

Trouble nodded and walked away, trying to drive the embarrassment from his memory. Holly watched him leave, marveling in how much her friend had changed since his promotion. He barely had time to trade the occasional "Hi" with her, let alone chat about Academy days or grab a smoothie and catch Holly up on the three years she had been gone. No, now he was Commander. He was trying his best to fill in Julius Root's shoes. He knew how much everyone respected the late Commander and he wanted to make sure that the people were not disappointed in his replacement. But sometimes he tried too hard.

Holly sighed and started to walk towards her cubicle. Nothing like good old-fashioned paperwork to get her mind off those things. Just as she went to sit at her desk and pluck a paper out of the swaying stack, her computer beeped. A video feed bubble from the Ops Booth popped up on her screen and Foaly's smug grin filled the box.

"Hi, Holly," the centaur chuckled.

"Wow, Foaly, you used the Council's money to set up a complex video reception…thing… and all you do is say, 'Hi.' I'd say that's money well spent."

Foaly's grin shrank a few centimeters. "You know, I was going to let you try out the new Hummingbird model wings, but if you're going to have that attitude…"

Holly sprinted to the Ops Booth.

"Where are they?" she asked breathlessly.

Foaly shrugged. "I don't see why I should let you try them."

Holly gritted her teeth. "Foaly, you brilliant centaur, I'm so very sorry for any emotional pain I might have caused you regarding your video system."

"And..?"

Holly sighed impatiently. "And……..please, please, _please_ can I see the new Hummingbirds??"

Foaly waved a hand. "Very well. They are over on the table."

Holly bent over the table to inspect new wings. The shiny metal reflected her fascinated features. The wings were designed like the old model, but thinner, with less of the bulk of back-up batteries. The wings fanned out in silver brilliance, with two large solar panels on each. Beside the wings were armored gloves, decorated with tiny sensors that would feed information to the wings making them move in the desired way.

"They're brilliant, aren't they?" Foaly admired.

Holly had to admit they were, but not out loud. "They look a bit thin. They probably wouldn't hold up under stress."

Foaly scoffed. "These wings would survive a direct hit by an atomic bomb." With that, he lifted the lightweight wings off the table and chucked them across the room. They clanged against the steel wall and fell to the floor. Foaly trotted over to them and held them up to Holly. Not a dent blemished the shiny surface.

"What are they made of?" asked Holly curiously.

"Adimantium. Strongest metal under the world. You wouldn't believe how long it took me to get the Council to even approve it."

Holly looked pleadingly at Foaly. "So…….Can I try them out?"

Foaly sighed dramatically. "I suppose…"

The words had barely left his mouth and Holly was skipping out the doors cradling the wings.

Holly happily strode home. Wonderful day. The new wings were as amazing as Foaly had said. They were so light on her back, it felt as if they weren't even there. And the sensors in her gloves saved her the trouble of messing with extra helmet upgrades. Immediately after coming back from the surface, Holly had placed an order for them, even though they were not yet on the market. Just one of the advantages of having Foaly as a friend.

Holly was just about to hop up the stairs to her apartment when a sharp pain in her calf brought her to her knees. In her blurring vision, she could make out a thin metal dart poking out of her leg. Her last thought as darkness dissolved her vision was 'Terrific.'

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**Author's Notes: Yeah, if you can tell you don't like it so far, just please wait until later chapters are put up. Those are much better. Just before anyone can ask, this is H/T. Don't bug me about it. If you don't like it, read "Afraid of Change." That's a nice A/H story that might satisfy you. Anyway, please review.**


	2. Claustrophobia

**Hello, again, dear readers! I'm back, in the same day!, for a second chapter. I really didn't expect such good feed back for the first one. We're not even into the dramatic stuff yet! But anyway, here is the second chapter for all of you faithful fans. Thanks much. LUUUURVE YOU!**

When Holly first started to wake from her sleep, she thought she was back in her own home. The cushioning mattress underneath her was soft and comforting. Her fingers ran over the fabric of the sheets, and she imagined it was her maroon bedspread at home. They even smelled like her lavender laundry soap. Holly unconsciously covered her ears with her arms, bracing herself for the scream of her alarm clock. But it never came. In fact, a lot of the usual morning sounds that would seep into her apartment in the early hours were now entirely absent. 'Strange,' Holly's slow, tired side said. 'It's almost as if…'

Holly's eyes flew open as the events of the previous night slammed into her brain. She bolted upright on the small cot she was laying on and found herself looking at a cement wall. A fist of cold fear clenched at her heart. She struggled not to shriek aloud. The room she was confined in was barely bigger than an elevator, about 6 feet by 6 feet, with a ceiling about 5-and-a-half feet high. Claustrophobia swept over Holly in waves of panic, but she closed her eyes and breathed deeply, swallowing rapidly, willing the phobia to pass. 'You're a soldier,' she told herself. 'Act like it.'

With one more deep, shaky breath, she opened her eyes to assess her situation. She tried to ignore the smallness of her cell as she studied it. The small cot she sat on went across about half of the cell. The other half consisted of a small toilet, a square slot low in the wall, and some blank paper with a pencil on the cement floor. She eyed those particular objects suspiciously. Why would they give her paper? Holly then realized that LEP jumpsuit had been replaced with a simple gray sweat suit. "How long was I out?" Holly murmured to herself.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a small metallic sound. Her gaze flew to the slot in the wall, which was opening to reveal a small tray of food being slid in to her. It plopped onto the floor and the slot slid shut. Holly hesitantly crept forward, inspecting the food. On the tray sat a small carton of apple juice, a fruit salad, some crackers, a protein bar, and a toothbrush with some toothpaste on it. Holly was confused. Surely the kidnappers, whoever they were, wouldn't feed her as good as this unless they expected something in return. Which led her to the assumption that the food was drugged? She picked at the leafy salad cautiously, as if she expected it to bite her. She plucked a small lettuce piece out and held it to her nose. It didn't smell to suspicious. Holly risked a small bite, but didn't taste anything odd. She noticed for the first time that her stomach ached with persistent hunger. So, the elf ate her food, careful to search every bite with her tastebuds in case it held the evils of another tranquilizer. She set aside the toothbrush for later and pushed the tray back over to the slot. No doubt whoever was keeping her here would want it back.

Holly then sat silently on her cot, trying to decide what to do. Not that she had whole lot of options. A small, winking light drew her attention upward. She was looking into a small camera that was cemented into the wall. No use trying to get it out. Instead, she made a rude hand gesture to it and turned away from it.

Her gaze fell upon the small stack of paper in the corner of her prison. This was the strangest thing about it all. It was entirely too random for an everyday kidnapper. Maybe there was some plan behind it all, run by a genius. Holly almost chuckled at that. Her mind roamed back to when she had been kidnapped by the young genius, Artemis Fowl. Holly seriously doubted the Irish boy was behind this. For one, he was vacationing with his parents in London. And two, he had built a very good relationship with Holly over the past couple of years. But there was always a possibility…

Holly shook the thought from her head. No way. She sighed, growing bored of just sitting the around. If she wanted to stay sane, she would have to do something productive. So, she picked up the paper and pencil and started to write…

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***smirks* Ahh, the suspense. Please review!**


	3. Smart Sheet

**Ah, yes. Back, my friends, for another "exciting" chapter. This is all still very mellow compared to later chapters... But oh well. **

**Thanks to all who reviewed! Love ya *GIVES CYBER CANDY CANE***

**Foaly: Moving on...**

**Me: You're just impatient because you're in this chapter.**

**Foaly: Haha. So I am. See my name? **

**Me: *pushes Foaly down***

**Ah, yes, anyway.**

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Commander Trouble Kelp sat in the Ops Booth with his head in his hands. "I really hate this Foaly."

Foaly glanced at the tortured elf from the monitors and felt a small pang of sympathy. Trouble really cared about Holly. Foaly sighed. "So do I. But the new recruits need to see how LEP officers handle themselves in these situations. And it wouldn't be as convincing if Holly knew who was behind it."

Trouble knew Foaly was right. Holly was one of the best, if not THE best, in the LEP. If anyone were to be a good example for the recruits, it would most certainly be her. But Trouble hated going this far for the good of the LEP. He knew Holly could handle herself, but he felt so evil. What she would think of him when she found out…

Trouble shook himself and glanced almost fearfully at the screen that displayed Holly's holding cell. "Alright. How's she doing?"

Foaly replied, "Fine, actually. She just woke up."

Trouble frowned at Holly's frigid form on the small cot. "What's the matter with her?"

"Claustrophobic," Foaly explained. "Hardly surprising when you consider how her mother died."

Trouble was about to swat Foaly on the rump for no building a bigger room when he noticed a small gray square in the low wall move. "What's that?"

"Her breakfast."

"Who's giving it to her?"  
"No one. Her meals are given to her by a machine that runs on a timer. Two meals a day, which is probably more than she normally gets."

Trouble nodded in agreement. He watched as Holly carefully ate her food, no doubt tasting for poison, as she was taught in the Academy. After she was done, she pushed her tray away and sat back on the cot. Trouble fidgeted when her hazel eyes found the camera in the wall. It was as if she could see him. He was pained when he saw the anger burning in her eyes. But the guilt faded a bit when Holly showed her spunk and gestured rudely to the camera. Foaly laughed aloud.

"Oh, the recruits will like that one." Sure enough, cheers and laughter spilled through the open door of the Ops Booth from the screen room. A lot of recruits called it "the theater." It contained a cinema-sized smoke screen, which was now displaying the live footage of Holly's imprisonment. Trouble chuckled at her action, too. He was relieved to see that she still held her fiery personality even in stressful situations.

Trouble noticed for the first time that there was paper in the corner of her cell. He pointed at the screen. "What's that?"

"Ah. Well, Holly is a bit of a guinea pig for a new technology I've created." Foaly manipulated some control expertly and pulled up a new blank screen next to the one of Holly's prison. "It's called SmartSheet. Named it myself. Basically, it's a very, very thin computer with hundreds of millions of micro sensors in it. The sensors are triggered when someone presses that pencil to the surface and pushes the tiny pressure pads embedded along the 'paper'. They send signals to this computer, and we can read what anyone cares to write. Pretty genius, if I do say so myself."

Trouble rolled his eyes. "I'm not sure Holly will be so appreciative when she gets out of there," he said. He studied her thoughtful form on the bed and sighed softly. It killed him to do this. He didn't feel this was necessary. After all, when he and Holly had been in the Academy, they didn't simply _watch_ what someone did in these situations. They were actually taken from their beds at night and thrown in cells with a few people that didn't take kindly to new roommates. Of course, they were usually acting, but occasionally, the instructors would take the rebels of the school and put them in with a couple of real convicts, often goblins. Holly and Trouble had been two of that bunch, and they learned never to replace Commander Root's shampoo with ketchup again. One of the many things they didn't want to learn at the Academy…

Trouble was pulled from his memories as the blank screen suddenly flashed what looked like handwritten words. He glanced to the right of the screen and saw as Holly picked up the paper and started to write…

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**Hmm, what is--Oh, yes. HAHAHAHAHAHA! EVIL CLIFFHANGER!!!!!! Please review. **

**Foaly: Oh, they'll run to the keyboards with THAT one...**

**Me: *shoots Foaly with Neutrino* Serves you right. I'll bring Holly next time... **


	4. Holly

**I didn't write this chapter as well as I had hoped, but here you go anyway. And, as promised, here is Holly.**

**Holly: Get these chains off me!**

**Me: Hush, and just tell them I don't own anything!**

**Holly: *glares***

**Me: I won't get the "chains" off until you do.**

**Holly: *sighs* Fine. The brilliant author, BlackWidowPretty, does not own the right to Artemis Fowl. Now will you let me go???**

**Me: Nope.**

_It's cold in here. I can see the tips of my toes turning purple. The least they could have done was given me some socks. Or a heater. Or a way out. Yeah, right. _

_Damn camera. It's driving me insane. I hate feeling like I have no privacy. And this room is tiny. I try not to think about it, but the memory of my mother's death makes this place even harder to bear. I wonder where it is. Probably some cliché kidnapper's hideout, like one of the abandoned tunnels. Or maybe this guy is smarter than I thought. In which case, I'm probably underneath Police Plaza right now, the last place anyone in the LEP would think to look. I don't know. I can't tell._

_Hmm. Just got warmer. Odd. I don't see any vents, but it suddenly warmed up in here. Maybe it's from my body heat. Oh, well._

_I wonder if anyone has noticed that I'm gone. I don't know how long I was out so I don't know if it was long enough to call an alert. Trouble probably noticed, though. He would. I've seen the way he looks at me. He doesn't conceal his feelings very well. It must torture him that I'm gone. He'll be hell-bent on catching whoever is behind this. As would I._

_At least I'm being fed. Well, too. I actually feel full. I realize it's been a really long time since I had a real meal. Being in the LEP for me means living on protein bars and sim-coffee. Maybe I should cut back on work a little. Nah. I love what I do._

_It feels weird being so calm. Any other time I would be beating on the walls and screaming. I guess I feel like nothing bad is going to happen to me. Which is strange because I'm usually so pessimistic. I don't know. I hope they let me out soon. The toilet is grossing me out._

_The only good thing about this place is that it has allowed me more time for myself. I barely get a chance to just sit and think anymore. Most of the time it's LEP this and Trouble that. … I just said that, didn't I? Hmm. Now that I think about it, a lot of my time is spent thinking about Trouble. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's what happened in the Academy. I haven't got the guts to tell him what else happened. Gods, it's been a while. Maybe I shouldn't tell him. But he'll find out sooner or later. I was so scared then, I had no choice but to do what I did. If he ever finds out, I hope he can forgive me. But I couldn't handle the responsibility, especially when I was going into the LEP. I cried myself to sleep so many nights after. I'm starting to cry now. Stop it, Holly Short. Get a damn grip._

_I think I will stop writing now. No need to get myself all torn up over something that happened so long ago. I'm going to bed. Good "night."_


	5. Academy

Here we are, the beginning of the more "dramatic" part of the story. THE FLASHBACKS!!!!!!!! *cricketcricketandno,notthegame*

Flashbacks are bold, because I said so.

~BlackWidowPretty

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**Flashback -- Academy**

**"So, yeah, it's going to be a great party. You guys wanna join us?"**

**Trouble was still trying to get over the initial shock. Raiu Flock, one of the Academy's snootiest untouchables, was standing at the table where he and Holly always ate, asking him if he wanted to party with him. Trouble seriously considered ignoring the voice he expected was coming from the wanna-be part of his brain. He coughed nervously and stammered, "Y-you what, now?"**

**Raiu's face flashed with annoyance. "I said, me and the guys are having a party tonight. We heard that you two," He gestured to Holly. "broke a flight record today. So we were wondering if you wanted to hang with us. Your little girlfriend here can come, too." He winked and his posse of slaves chuckled in snide perversion. She was just about to rearrange his facial features when Trouble defended her.**

**"Ok, for one, she's not my girlfriend, and two, she beat Root in hand-to-hand yesterday after he called her a sissy. I suggest you keep your sexist remarks to yourself."**

**Raiu rolled his eyes. "You are getting less cool by the second, man. So are you coming or not?"**

**Trouble glanced at Holly, who shrugged and picked at her sim-chicken. He looked back up at Raiu's overly-tattooed face and shrugged, too. "We'll see. Where is it?"**

**Raiu twisted his nose ring. "Where else? My dorm." With that, he walked away with his slaves, testing the Mohawk of spikes in his red hair. Once they rounded the corner, Holly let out a sigh.**

**"I thought that obnoxious sprite would never leave." She looked at Trouble and smiled. "Thanks for sticking up for me like that."**

**Trouble chuckled. "Well, I knew you would mess up the entire cafeteria with his blood if I didn't." He paused. "So are you going to the party?"**

**Holly shrugged again. "I know this will sound really geeky, but I always wondered what they did at those parties. I mean, they have got to be running out of things to do by now."**

**"So you wanna come?"**

**"Oh, what, you're going?"**

**Trouble smiled, his brown eyes lightening with the promise of adventure. "I'm just as curious as you."**

**Holly looked at him for a moment, then sighed. "I suppose. But if he makes a comment like today, he'll wake up tomorrow in a back alley in the goblin ghetto. And you know how much they hate those privileged with wings." Holly slid her tray off the table and strode away. Trouble watched her leave with admiration. If only I could be that bold, he thought, and left, too.**

**Holly beat persistently on the door to Trouble's dorm room. "Trouble, come on! For Frond's sakes, it's just a party! You're acting like you've just been invited to the AMP awards!"**

**From the other side of the door came Trouble's irritated reply. "Keep your hair on, Holly. You don't even really want to go, anyway."**

**Holly had to admit he was right. She didn't expect that Raiu's party would be as innocent as he had implied. But amidst the hesitation was a longing to be spontaneous. She had always just walked the path that was paved for her. She wanted to break the rules for once. And again, and again, but we're not going to get into that. Holly groaned and leaned her head against the door with a thunk.**

**"It's no good trying to impress Raiu, you know. He'll find some excuse to hate you tomorrow." As she spoke, Trouble flung the door open and Holly fell forward, her forehead hitting the bridge of Trouble's nose. He hit the ground with a thump. His eyes started to water and he pinched his nose. "Ow," he grunted nasally. **

**Holly looked at her fallen friend and laughed. "I'm sorry, Trouble. Here." She gingerly held out a hand.**

**Trouble paused, blinking at her pretty form above him. Her hair glowed radiantly in spite of the dull light of the corridor. Her face showed the tiniest glint of makeup. A brown sweater blended flawlessly with her black pants. It was a few moments before Trouble shook himself and accepted her hand, rubbing his nose.**

**"It's ok, I guess." He smiled.**

**Holly smiled back, admiring the blue shirt he had chosen with his baggy, tan pants. "It had better be ok, or I might change my mind about this."**

**Trouble chuckled, starting to walk down the hall. "It's too late to change your mind."**

**Together they walked to Raiu Flock's party. This would be a night to remember.**

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Ooooohh, How cliche. Anyway, please read and review.


	6. Memories

***booming voice* Who dares disturb my slumber?! Not that I care anyway, because it's a full moon tonight and I' m up anyway.!!! (If I seem very odd, don't worry. I got about....2.... hours of sleep last night. I was up watching the moon. I think I may be a fairy...**

**Or a werewolf.**

**Grr....**

**Oh, and also, just got my hair done for my b-day, and it looks AMAZING!!!!!!! Be jealous. Don't, really, but do bow down in my shadow.**

**Oh, no. The moooooooooonnnnnnn!!!! *turns into werewolf/elf***

Trouble stared at the screen in silence, confusion and worry visible on his brow. He didn't move when he saw Holly lie in her bed, wiping tears from her eyes. His mind was numb with surprise. He hadn't known anything had happened to Holly in the Academy. Well, he knew what happened, but this sounded different. Secret. And Holly wasn't a person who cried very easily. This, whatever it was, seemed to cut her deeply.

There was a few moments of silence before Foaly cleared his throat. "I, ah, know this may be none of my business, but what is wrong with her?"

Annoyance replaced the confusion in Trouble's mind. He shot Foaly an angry look. "Did you see what she wrote?" he snapped. "Obviously, whatever her problem is, she hasn't told me!" His voice cracked with emotion and he raised his arms in frustration. Foaly blinked at his sudden outburst. Trouble sighed and sank into the chair beside Foaly, his head in his hands. He spoke quietly. "I don't know. I … wish I did." The LEP Commander looked up tiredly at the screen. Holly appeared to be sleeping, her knees pulled to her chest. Her torso swelled and shrank with her breathing. Trouble sighed again.

It had taken Foaly every fiber of his being not to ask the question that had burned his curious mind. But he could bear no longer. He glanced at Trouble. "What happened when you two were in the Academy?"

Trouble didn't answer. He continued staring at the screen, concern etched on his brow. There was an iron silence for a few moments. Then Trouble quietly got out of the chair and left Foaly in the Ops Booth. No answers today, then, Foaly thought, shutting down his screens.

Trouble lost himself in thought as he walked home, barely noticing his surroundings. He took several wrong turns, and didn't arrive at his apartment until the sun strips had changed from afternoon sky to star-dotted night. He paused outside his door, fishing absently through his suit pockets in search of his keys. Once inside, he didn't bother turning any lights on, but instead stumbled to his bedroom in the dark.

Trouble lay on his bed, still fully-clothed, staring up at the shadowed ceiling. His alarm clock blinked the time, giving an eerie glow to his bedroom, but Trouble hardly noticed. He was absorbed in thought, still trying to force the image of Holly crying from his mind. Oh, he felt evil. First kidnapping Holly and probably scaring her half to death. And now he was invading her personal space with a camera and that Smart paper stuff. But amidst the guilt was curiosity. What else would Holly write? Maybe some answers would be given if she was kept in that cell a little longer. Trouble was surprised at this thought. Just a while ago, Trouble wanted Holly out of the cell. Now he was considering keeping her there longer. He shook the thought from his mind.

He thought back to what Holly had written and sighed. The Academy. Trouble hadn't thought about that night for a while. For many years, he tried to remember in full clarity what had happened. He never could. He had then banished the memory regretfully from his mind and continued on with his life, occasionally brushing the memory back, but never dwelling on it. But now, old doubts were surfacing. Something else had happened, and Trouble was ripping the old memory apart, searching for answers. In truth, he couldn't recall much, thanks to Raiu Flock. Trouble winced in remembrance of Raiu. He had never gotten into the LEP, but instead was stuck cleaning tables at a dwarf bar. What goes around comes around…

A thought occurred to Trouble. He got out of his bed and switched on a low lamp. He went to his closet and opened it, staring up at the shelf at years of memories. He selected a large box and slid it off the shelf in a cloud of dust. Setting it on his bed, he gingerly swept some of the dust off the cover and the word "Academy" appeared under the grime. Trouble carefully lifted the top off and found himself looking at long-forgotten things. His acceptance letter, his old crunchball uniform, report cards, his graduation acorns. His heart briefly swelled with old pride, and then he rummaged through the things, searching. He found a lot of random things: pencils, a small electric fan, an old microphone. And some things he found were in the wrong box: dirty socks, a power cord, an old rotten apple. Finally, his fingers brushed a familiar object.

His heart beating quickly, Trouble grasped the object and pulled it out of the box. He sat on his bed and opened his fist, revealing a silver chain. At the end of the chain, a small, silver butterfly hung, encrusted with little diamonds along the wings. A simple design, yet it mesmerized Trouble every time he would look at it. It had been Holly's, left behind after she had taken it off to play crunchball. Oh, there were fits of anger over it, and theft assumptions. Little did she know that Trouble had taken it, at first just to see how mad she would get. But he found himself not wanting to give it back. He felt like he held a special part of his friend. But what he didn't know was that tears were spilled over the necklace. It had been a gift from Holly's mother to her, just a few months before she had died. Trouble had just thought Holly had been overreacting.

Trouble sighed, returning to the present and, lying back on his pillow, fell into a restless sleep, still holding the diamond embedded butterfly, and snoring lightly.

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**Rawr. I mean, ahem, please read and review. Or I may have to eat you...**


	7. Party Part 1

Here it is. The chapter you've all been waiting for. I like it myself. I'm sure H/T fans will, too. But anyway. READ AWAY!!!!!!

**Flashback - Academy**

"**Geez, man. Took you long enough." Raiu Flock's annoyed voice was barely audible through the beat of music and noise. Trouble squinted to make out anything in the dim lighting of Raiu's room, yet the sprite's piercings sparkled obnoxiously. About the only source of lighting were the glowing ends of various cigarettes sprinkled throughout the crowd of elves and sprites. Holly was surprised. She hadn't realized how many people spent their nights partying. Her nights were spent studying shuttle controls, reading combat textbooks, or working out. Holly saw Trouble's eyes twinkle with hidden excitement, and felt some of it rub off on her. Previous doubts vanished and a small smile slid across her face as she made her way through the dense crowd.**

**Trouble was excited, but he didn't share the same optimism that Holly did. Through the sweat and cologne, he could make out the odor of alcohol. The blaring music still couldn't completely cover the hysterical laughing of those who had already had too much to drink. He held Holly's arm protectively as he weaved through the crowd, following Raiu cautiously. Holly rolled her eyes but didn't object.**

**Trouble had just about lost Raiu when a hand accompanied with two bottles was shoved in front of him. Raiu's sneering face was briefly visible behind it. "On me, Trubs."**

**Trouble scowled at the sound of his nickname, then waved a hand. "I don't drink."**

**Raiu snickered. "Nice joke. Now take it."**

"**No." Trouble's face was set defiantly.**

"**Quit being a girl and take the beer."**

"**No."**

"**I'll take it."**

**Raiu and Trouble looked in surprise at Holly, who held out her hand. Raiu quickly covered his shock and smirked, handing the bottle to Holly. "That's what I'm talking about! And you clean up nicely, if I do say so myself. You know, there's no need to impress me." He grinned smugly.**

**Holly hid her annoyance and smiled graciously back. "Oh, I wouldn't dream of it. Is there anywhere I can put my sweater if I get hot?" she asked before the insult could sink in.**

**Raiu eyed her seductively. "Too late," he said. Then he saw Trouble clench his fist in warning and he cleared his throat. "There's a closet by the door."**

**Holly gave a hollow thanks and them wormed her way back through the crowd. Trouble could barely keep up with her. Finally, she found a clear spot in the room and, ignoring the two necking elves beside her, sat on a littered couch and opened her drink.**

**Trouble halted in front of her, breathless. "You're not actually going to drink that, are you?"**

**Holly winked playfully and took a sip. "Oh, Trouble," she sighed. "Where's your sense of fun?"**

**Trouble squinted through the noise and lack of light. "Gone with the other five," he muttered.**

**Holly kicked at his leg teasingly. "Hey, you dragged me here because you thought it would be fun. Now we're here and you're chickening out on me. You can leave, you know."**

**Trouble frowned. "First of all, no one's chickening out on anything. And secondly, I'm staying. I didn't skip night training for nothing."**

**Holly laughed. "That's the spirit." She took another drink. "Mmm. I love this song." **

**With that, she got off the couch and started to dance, at first slowly and self-consciously. But then Trouble caught some of her enthusiasm and brushed his doubts aside, beginning to move with her. They moved toward the crowd again, dancing and sweating with the rest of them. Their hearts started to beat in time with the rapid rhythm of the music and they drew closer to each other among the other dancing bodies. A wide smile spread on Holly's face as Trouble danced near her. As said, Holly began to get hot. She shed her sweater, and underneath was an emerald green tank top.**

**By now, the pair of elves were so close that Holly could feel Trouble's shallow breathing on her bare shoulder. With a new found confidence, Holly wrapped her arms around Trouble's neck. He caught her eye, surprised. He found a twinkle in those deep hazel pools that gave him the courage to slide his arms around her waist and pull her even closer. Despite the quick beat of the music, they found themselves slowing down, caught in each other's gaze. **

**If it was even possible, their heads moved even closer to each other, and before Holly could react, Trouble lowered his lips to meet hers. Holly hesitated for a moment, then found herself kissing him back. She was shocked at herself. She wasn't even drunk! (yet) But as they kissed, she abandoned all feelings of uncertainty and just focused on his touch. She breathed his smell in deeply, and he did the same. **

**Trouble could hardly believe this was happening. Holly rarely let him give her a friendly hug, let alone kiss her. But now, they just let dancing bodies bump against them as they lost themselves in each other.**

**Finally, they broke apart. They looked at each other a moment, and then blushed. **

**Trouble coughed awkwardly and tried to apologize over the thump of the music. "I, uh, don't know what came over me," he half-shouted.**

**Holly smiled against her red cheeks. "I do." And she kissed him again, this time with no hesitation.**

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mmmmmmmm..... Lots and lots of little fluff. Please review and I will love you forever.


	8. Emotional Potatoes

**Please excuse the awful state of this chapter. I wrote it when I was suffering from writer's block, so its like...the butt of the bread. But some people like the butt of the bread... So you never know. But anyway. Read away.**

Captain Holly Short lay on the cushioning mattress of her cot, caressing the low ceiling of her cell with a thoughtful stare. Three days. Three days in this cell. And yet she found that most of her thoughts were not on escaping, or plotting revenge. Despite her situation, her thoughts were of Trouble.

Most of the time, they weren't specific thoughts or memories. Just images. Some lost and remembered. Others clear and perfect. The deep pools of chocolate brown that lit up his face when he smiled. The cute little way he subtly cocks his head when he gets confused. A face that could have been carved by angels. These pictures swam through Holly's mind, each one sending a pang of longing to her heart.

Holly sighed, a slight whimper hidden among the exhaled air, and turned over on her cot. Her gaze was interrupted by her tray on untouched food from the day before. She had spent the whole day stifling sobs and holding back tears. Waves of suppressed emotion had been released when she had confessed to the paper and flowed over her like an angry storm. After all these years, it still pained her greatly to remember what she had done. One of the biggest disgraces anyone in the fairy race could commit. Not illegal, but highly opposed.

Holly bit her lip, driving back tears that threatened to spill. The camera's light blinked mockingly from the corner of the room. In a sudden burst of anger, Holly sprang up from the cot and thrust the food tray at the camera with a cry. With shaky breaths, she watched as the mashed potatoes and sim-gravy clung to the camera lens while the rest of the food (an apple, buttered bread, and a carton of milk) fell to the floor in a sticky rain. The tray shattered into sparkling green pieces that littered the cement in front of Holly's bare feet.

Gulping air, Holly tried to calm herself. She sat back on the cot and closed her eyes, taking some deep breaths.

A sudden whirring noise drew Holly's attention back to the little silver square in the wall. The sound of machinery came from behind it. Holly carefully went to the wall, knelt in front of the slot, and put a pointed ear to it. With her considerable hearing, she could hear clanking and buzzing and whirring. Someone was just outside. Holly tried to pry the flap open with slender fingers, but it didn't open manually. The machine noises suddenly grew louder and Holly sprang back in surprise. In the process, her heel slipped and a piece of glass tray penetrated her nut-brown skin. She hissed in pain and hobbled to the cot. By now, the clunks of machinery were fading and Holly nursed her cut, muttering a stream of cuss words.

Wincing, Holly plucked the glass out of her foot and flicked it back onto the floor. She sat a few seconds, staring as blood oozed out of the rosy cut.

Holly knew what was happening to her. She had seen it many times. People locked away by themselves for periods of time, with nothing but their emotions to keep them entertained. Slowly eating their own souls apart until they develop several personalities or simply go insane. Holly had already reached the first stage: outbursts of anger and violence, for no reason and towards nobody. It didn't particularly help that she had a lot of suppressed emotion just waiting to be release in waves of fury.

Holly tiredly cast her gaze back across the food-littered room. The machine noises had now completely faded to silence, and she watched the mashed potatoes clung desperately to the camera. A small glob was hanging on for dear life, much like a water droplet just about to drip from a faucet. Finally, it fell to the ground with a splat, slow-motion and almost comically. With the smallest wiggle, it sat still in a pancake-shaped blob on the cement.

Holly wasn't sure where her laughter started but it bubbled out of her, echoing happily off of the enclosed walls. It startled her to hear her own voice after three days in isolation. She wasn't even totally sure exactly what she was laughing at.

As her laughter died off, Holly decided to lie down and try to get some rest, even though she had no idea what time it was. She laid her head gingerly on the cot, and drifted into sleep, a sleep sprinkled with old memories and new discoveries.

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***sigh* Please review, even if it's just to say ...bubbles or something...**


	9. Party Part 2

I like this chapter. I hope you do, but even if you don't, please review.

**After their little adventure on the dance floor, Holly and Trouble made their way back over to the clear area of the room and sat back on the couch, forced together by the same two fairies that had been all over each other before, but had passed out since then, snoring obnoxiously on opposite sides of the couch. Holly finished her drink, and then got another, and the two elves sat in uncomfortable silence, watching the others dance with infinite stamina. **

**Their shoulders were crushed together in the small space, until Trouble was forced to pull his arm back, and, because there was no where else to put it, laid it awkwardly across Holly's back. She visibly tensed, stopping in mid-drink. Her skin tingled where his arms touched her bare shoulder. But then she relaxed and nodded as Trouble said, "Sorry, there's just no room."**

**The awkward silence settled over them again. Trouble seemed to be concentrating on the room and other people, but he was really studying his own situation. He was still slightly stunned about what had happened on the dance floor. It wasn't like Holly to be so spontaneous. (A characteristic that we all know will change)**

**Trouble turned his head slightly and studied Holly's features out of the corner of his eye. She was looking out among the other elves, squinting against the blare of music and lack of light. Her tapered fingers were wrapped gingerly around her drink, subtly tapping to the beat. Trouble's gaze flickered momentarily across Holly's chest (naughty boy) and then up to her lips, plump and cherubic, glittering with the smallest hint of gloss. Lips he longed to kiss again. Soon.**

**Holly saw Trouble studying her and was trying to act normal, even when his eyes moved to more personal areas. She suddenly felt very self-conscious. She shifted awkwardly on the couch. It didn't help. She just seemed to get closer to Trouble. She glanced at him, hoping he would look away. But instead he held her gaze, hypnotizing her with his chocolate brown eyes. Holly found herself not wanting to look away. Even if she could.**

**The thump of music faded as blood rushed in Trouble's ears. Holly's lips parted slightly, almost teasingly, just about driving Trouble over the edge. Before he could think twice, he swiftly caught her mouth with his, kissing her deeply. Holly kissed back with equal intensity. Trouble could taste the sourness of the alcohol on her lips, but he barely noticed. Holly shed the previous awkwardness from her memory and wrapped her arms around his neck, lacing her fingers through his hair. She began to wonder if the beer was affecting her judgment. 'Probably,' she decided. 'But it's just as well.'**

**They finally had to break apart to breathe. Holly looked back into Trouble's eyes and laughed softly. "I think I need another drink," she said, slightly slurring.**

**Trouble was about to protest, but Holly got up anyway and was soon lost in the crowd. He sat there blinking, and then leaned back on the couch. He felt a bit empty without Holly's form beside him, in his arms. Trouble wondered if this would last. He knew that ****he**** wanted it to. But he was unsure what Holly would think. She seemed to want it. Then again, he never knew with her.**

**Trouble's thoughts were interrupted by a sudden snort beside him. The sleeping elf on the couch seemed to be dreaming. Violently. His arms weakly thrashed and he grunted and snorted. Trouble tapped the elf's shoulder, and received a kick in the face for his effort. For the second time that night, Trouble pinched his nose in pain. Eyes watering, he stood and weaved through the crowd in search of Holly.**

**Holly had downed two more drinks since she left Trouble on the couch. It wasn't as if she hadn't drunk before. But she was really feeling the effects at this point. Twice already, she had run into the same door and said, "Excuse me, sorry." The colors and sounds blurred together in her senses, along with any words that came out of her mouth. And it didn't help any when she ran into Raiu Flock again.**

**"Whoa!" he exclaimed when Holly almost head-butted him in the face.**

**Holly stumbled back and mumbled an apology. She was making her way past him when he caught her arm. **

**"What's the rush, babe?" Holly, even as drunk as she was, could smell the stench of alcohol on his breath. "Stay and dance with me a while." Raiu wrenched her up to him and grabbed her waist, locking her in his seductive embrace.**

**Holly tried to fight back, but her usual reflexes were dulled and slow. Raiu's hand started to slither up under her tank top, making her skin crawl. She squirmed, making slurred protests, but Raiu just held on tighter, his pierced wings fluttering with excitement.**

**Through her alcohol-dulled senses, Holly felt a cold fear. Raiu forced her lips to his, making Holly almost vomit. His other hand struggled with the strap of her bra. He broke his kiss long enough to wheeze, "Let's go somewhere else." And he dragged Holly through the crowd.**

**Trouble ducked and weaved through the crowd, who were still dancing their hearts out. He had no idea how large Raiu's room was, but with all the people it seemed to stretch on forever, making his search for Holly even more difficult. Trouble squinted at familiar shapes, hoping to find her quickly, so they could go home. **

**A sudden shriek drew his attention behind him. It sounded a lot like Holly. Trouble grew alarmed and headed in the direction of the sound, pushing people aside in his rush. The other elves had apparently not heard the noise, or were trying their best to ignore it. Trouble heard another shout and something that sounded like a large sob. This made him slip even faster through the crowd. When he finally found Holly, he froze.**

**What he first saw was a pair of wings, sparkling with various piercings, wings he recognized as Raiu's. Then, as their owner turned to the side, the wings moved to reveal Holly, struggling violently and choking back sobs. Raiu was forcing her down onto a pile of clothes and coats, pressing his lips forcibly to her own. He was yanking at her clothes, with one hand up her tank top. The sight made Trouble sick to his stomach. Holly caught Trouble's gaze with tear-filled eyes and whimpered, "Please." Trouble was driven over the edge.**

**The enraged elf strode over to Raiu and grabbed one of his wings and pulled. Raiu flew off of Holly with a grunt. Trouble yanked the surprised sprite around to face him. His glare made Raiu flinch. Trouble pulled him closer until his nose ring fogged with Trouble's heavy breathing. "Leave … her … alone," Trouble growled, separating his words in a scolding fashion.**

**Raiu had enough courage put into him by all he had drank and sneered against his fear. "Make me."**

**Trouble raised an eyebrow and set Raiu down. The sprite was just about to make a snide comment when he received a mighty punch in the face. And when you have a nose ring, you usually don't like it when you get punched in the face. Raiu grimaced in pain and staggered back, holding his nose. Rosy blood leaked out between his fingers. Holly sprang up sobbing and Trouble took her arm, leading her away from the injured sprite.**

**The two elves found their way to the door swiftly and threw themselves out of it, slamming it behind them. They stood in the hall for a few moments, no sound except for their shaky breathing. Trouble looked at Holly with concern. Holly's eyes filled with new tears as she straightened her clothing and rubbed her bare arms. **

**Trouble stepped toward her and gathered her in his arms. She sobbed openly into his shoulder and he found himself close to tears as well. He buried his face in the swoop of her neck as she cried, and let his own tears flow. He murmured shakily into her skin and stroked her back in even arcs. **

**Holly couldn't stop sobbing. She felt used, dumped, dirty. She didn't feel like a person anymore. She felt like an object. So ashamed of herself. **

**Finally, her crying died down a bit and she pulled herself off of Trouble's damp shoulder. She met his eyes, expecting shame and disappointment. Instead, he found tears leaking from them full of understanding.**

**Trouble wiped her face with a delicate finger. "Come on," he whispered quietly. "Let's get you home." And he took her back to her dorm, never letting go of her hand the whole way. **


	10. Hangover Discoveries

This is one of my favorite chapters. Of course, I am not done with the story yet, but all the same. It explains alot. But not everything. *waves hands in front of face spookily*

**When Holly first started to awaken, she felt like a porcupine was crawling around in her skull. And having babies. With every heartbeat, the pain increased and then faded. Through the pounding headache, Holly could hear the clank and steady hum of her furnace. She had made it home, then. Holly was laying on her back between her maroon bed sheets, eyes still closed. She clutched her pounding head and turned to the side. Then froze.**

**Her movement revealed three things to Holly. One, she was on the edge her bed, right along the side. This was unusual because she generally slept in the middle of her bed. The second thing she noticed was that, when she moved, her leg brushed a foreign object in her sheets. This, too, was not normal. The third thing she noticed sent a chill so deep into her that her headache disappeared. The cold realization set in and her eyes flew open.**

_**She wasn't wearing anything**_**.**

**The sheets rubbed against her bare skin, mocking her discovery cruelly. Holly shivered with a fearful chill. The events of the night before were fogged and jumbled in her mind. There was only one explanation for her situation: She hadn't slept alone.**

**A sighing sound came from beside her, confirming her fears. Holly tried not to panic, but instead tried to recall the happenings of the previous night. Various images flashed through her mind. The party, the crowd, the drinks, Trouble, Raiu. Holly stifled a gasp. Raiu. How could anyone forget something like that? She felt tears coming again but brushed the feeling aside until later. Much later, as it turned out.**

**Holly decided to get to the bottom of this, no matter how devastating. Sucking a shaky breath, she made sure everything personal was covered by her sheet, and turned over to face the other in her bed.**

**Unfortunately, the other person's back was facing her. 'No wings,' Holly thought, a bit relieved. It wasn't Raiu, then. Dark brown hair met in messy curls at the nape of this stranger's neck, pointed ears poking out from beneath. He had tan skin, well-toned muscles, and an uneven star-shaped birth mark on his right shoulder. Holly's headache was fighting its way back with each new discovery. The foreign object that Holly had brushed before had been this strange elf's leg, hidden beneath the sheets that came up to the small of his back. Holly was afraid to move. But she had to know.**

**Holding her breath, Holly pushed herself to sitting position and leaned over the elf's head, careful not to touch him. She slowly moved closer, until his face came into view. She choked back a gasp. There, lying on **_**her**_** bed in **_**her **_**dorm, drooling sleepily on **_**her**_** pillow, was none other than Trouble Kelp. This revelation sent a wave of sickness flooding through Holly. The amount she had drunk last night came back, with a vengeance, to haunt her. Holly turned quickly away from Trouble and vomited over the side of her bed.**

**Trouble, who had been sleeping long enough to question a coma, was pulled out of his slumber by a loud retching sound. He sat up, startled, and turned to see Holly getting sick over the edge of her bed, her bare shoulders bucking with every gag. His first impulse was to help her, but he imagined that the last thing Holly wanted right now was him touching her. So instead, he watched with a concerned look until her gags ceased.**

**When Holly finally stopped retching, she closed her eyes and didn't turn back around. She trembled violently, each breath shuddering. Trouble watched her silently. What else could he do? After all, she had awoken to find him lying in her bed, not…erm…clothed…. Not to mention the fact that she couldn't remember anything, thanks to all the alcohol. Trouble also had a hard time remembering everything. It had all happened so fast.**

**When Trouble had taken Holly back to her dorm, he couldn't leave her there alone. Not after what had happened. She had simply sat cross-legged on her bed staring down at the floor, unfocused. He had lowered himself into a small chair in front of her, just watching her. She didn't say anything for the longest time. Tears had dripped occasionally from her eyes. Finally, in a voice so low that Trouble had strained to hear it, she had whispered, "Thank you. For what you did back there."**

**Trouble had stood and stepped over to where Holly was. He had sat down beside her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. Pulling her head in to his shoulder, he had stroked her back again. "You make it sound like it was your fault," he had said softly. "Don't ever think that. Raiu is a prick and he got what he deserved. But don't you ever, **_**ever**_** think that any of that was your fault." He had taken her face in his hands and gingerly held her at eye level. "Ok?" She had nodded, wiping a tear off of her cheek. Trouble had smiled softly and planted a soft kiss on her lips. Then he had stood.**

**Holly had stood too, looking upset. "You're not going, are you?" she had asked, her voice breaking slightly.**

**Trouble's heart had almost broken when he heard the plea in her voice. But he had sighed, saying, "I've got to get back to my dorm. It's already 1 o'clock in the morning." He had started to make his way out of the room when Holly held his arm back. He had turned to face her, her eyes shining with that puppy-dog look.**

**"Please don't go." Then Holly had pulled him to her, catching his lips in a strong, passionate kiss like Trouble had never felt. He had kissed back, knowing he might regret it later. She was drunk, after all. But Holly had clung on to him desperately, not letting him go. Against his better judgment, he had stayed. And this was how he had woken up, to the noise of Holly throwing up and the cold anticipation of what she would say. **

**Now, as Holly shook and trembled beside him on the bed, Trouble wondered if he actually did regret his decision. But then he saw Holly slowly turn to face him. She couldn't meet his eye yet, but instead her eyes flickered over the bed sheets, ruffled. Just more mocking evidence of what adventures the previous night had held. And she couldn't remember any of it. She fought back a growing urge to shriek and flee. But the longer she sat there, the stronger the urge became. **

**Trouble had been watching her silently, sensing the internal battle she was fighting with so many emotions. He dared break the silence. "…Holly?" he whispered softly.**

**At the sound of his voice, Holly's eyes snapped up to meet his. She pulled the sheets tighter around her, feeling tears start to sting her eyes. But she forced them away. She wanted answers right now. Gritting her teeth to prevent from shrieking, she grunted, "What…happened?"**

**Trouble hadn't expected the straightforwardness of her question and opened his mouth to speak, and then shut it again, searching desperately for the right words. "Well, uh, I--took--got you home--here, and then you--you--"**

**Holly's eyes flashed with a sudden anger. "Don't you dare pin this on me, Trouble Kelp. You know very well that I wasn't completely able of making decisions in the state I was in." **

**Trouble was surprised at her sudden outburst. A moment ago she had appeared so helpless and vulnerable. "I--I'm not pinning it on you. It was my fault, too. I mean, things got carried away."**

**Holly interrupted him again. "Oh, you remember, do you?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.**

**Trouble stuttered again, running a hand nervously through his hair. He was finding it very difficult to answer Holly's questions, especially when he was sitting on her bed not wearing anything underneath the sheets. "Well, not--not entirely," he admitted.**

**Holly's eyes softened a little. They sat in silence for a few moments. Then Holly couldn't take it anymore. This was all too much. She gagged and was going to get sick again as she croaked, "Get out," and threw up again.**

**The poor male elf had no choice but to witness as Holly got sick again as he hurried to pull his clothes on. Holly wiped her mouth and, gathering the sheets around her body, opened the door and shoved Trouble, with nothing but his blue boxers and half of his pants on, into the hall. She slammed the door shut behind him and sank to the floor trembling. She eyed the pool of her own sick with a disgusted expression. Then she broke down sobbing, cradling her head in her hands as her shoulders quaked with her cries.**

**Trouble stood in the hall, holding his clothes in his hands, with one ear to the door. He listened as Holly fell to the ground and started to cry. His heart broke, and he longed to go back in and comfort her. But he knew that what she really needed at this point was some time to think. Trouble sighed, making his way down the hall. It was only when another elf, a first year carrying ten textbooks, came rushing down the hall towards him that he realized he still didn't have all of his clothes on. The elf eyed Trouble suspiciously, slowing down as he passed. Then he saw the door that Trouble was next to. He leaned in and whispered, "Lucky little bastard." Trouble made a fist and the first-year almost sprinted back down the hall.**

**Yanking on the rest of his clothes, Trouble made his way back to his dorm room, ignoring the interrogations of his roommate, and plopped down on his bed. He glanced at his clock and groaned. 10:54 A.M. It was going to be a long day.**

*smirks* Please review. I will love you for all eternity.


	11. Troubles

I loooooooooooooove this chapter!!! My absolute favorite!!!!! I started to cry writing the end!!!! I'm such a loser :P. But anyway. Please read and review.

**Trouble didn't see Holly for two days. A bit surprising, despite the circumstances. Holly rarely failed to show for class, even if she was sick. On the first day, Trouble skimmed the halls, searching for her familiar face. Though what he would say to her if he saw her, he had no idea. He saw Raiu a couple of times, and felt anger surge at the very sight of him. Thanks to magic, there was no mark on Raiu's face from Trouble's fist. But the sprite would shrink away from Trouble whenever he saw him coming. Not that Trouble was going to punch him again. Publically, anyway.**

**But on the second day, when Holly still wasn't turning up, he knew something was wrong. No matter what had happened between them, she would have come by now. Her absence was also noticed by several of the instructors. Wing Commander Vinyaya was greatly surprised, as Flight Session was Holly's absolute favorite class. But she marked down her absence, with the smallest skeptical expression, and had to find someone else to demonstrate takeoffs.**

**And by self-defense class, even Commander Root caught wind of her non-appearance.**

**"Hardly surprising," he growled, hiding his apparent surprise. "Couldn't take the pressure and played hooky. Should've know she'd break. Female elves can't take a whole lot of stress."**

**Trouble clenched his fist. "You have no idea what you're talking about," he mumbled through gritted teeth.**

**Root heard him comment and glared at him, his complexion reddening. "Do you have something to add, Kelp?" He crushed his cigar between his teeth as he spoke.**

**Trouble looked up. "No, sir," he said. Root narrowed his eyes, and then cast his gaze back to his paper-littered desk. "I just meant," Trouble continued, his anger morphing into confidence, "that it is a bit unfair of you to make those sorts of assumptions when you know very well that Holly has the best attendance in this academy. And just because she isn't here doesn't mean that she's weak. Holly Short is the strongest, most dedicated elf here, and you ****know**** it." Trouble pointed accusingly at Root as he stressed the word.**

**The whole room fell into an iron silence. The pre-session chatter halted, love-notes stopped in mid-pass, and flies (are there flies underground?) circling Root's ashtray were quiet, anticipating what would come next.**

**Root's face was so red, you could see steam radiating off of it. But instead of bursting the class's eardrums, a small, sly smile twitched at the corner of his mouth. Trouble felt his confidence die. He had seen that smile before. He was about to be very, very sad. Root smashed his cigar into his ashtray.**

**"Maybe you're right, Kelp," he said, in a voice much too light and perky. "Maybe I shouldn't judge her strength based on her attendance." Trouble frowned, feeling the confusion and anticipation in the air.**

**"No," Root continued. "I should measure strength based on the person's ability to fight." He paused dramatically. Then, suddenly, Root stepped in front of Trouble's front row chair and grabbed the poor elf by the collar, yanking him out of his seat. He pulled Trouble closer until their heads were inches apart. "Are you strong, Kelp?" His breath stung Trouble's eyes with the leftover smoke from his cigar.**

**The room was silent again, waiting for Trouble's answer. On a different day, Trouble would have said no, and not chanced having Root kill him in hand-to-hand combat. On a different day, he would have tolerated Root's sexist comments with no problems. On a different day, Holly would be beside him, giving the commander hell about one thing or another.**

**But this wasn't a different day.**

**Today, Trouble looked Commander Root straight in the eye and said, "Yes."**

**By the end of class, both Trouble and Root had to be examined by medical warlocks.**

**Where was Holly during all of this, you ask? Same place she had been for the past thirty hours: in her room.**

**After Trouble had left, and after an hour of trying to stop her tears, Holly had fumbled through her drawer, pulled on the first clothes she touched, and sat cross-legged on her bed again. And there she sat, never moving, never speaking, for over a day. Was something wrong with her? Well, not in so many words.**

**The first of her problems was that she couldn't get the smell of alcohol and sweat out of her nostrils. It constantly suffocated her senses, always reminding her of the mistakes she had made. Not to mention the fact that she could barely remember anything.**

**Her second problem was that, well, she was hungry. She had sat on her bed for over a day, nothing to eat, no sleep. But she didn't have any more food in her small refrigerator by her bed and she wasn't about to face anyone by going to the cafeteria. She would probably just throw any food up anyway.**

**The third of Holly's problems requires a little fairy lesson to explain it. As we have learned, elves are very emotional creatures. Deeply connected to feelings and life. They will feel sad even by the smell of death. And because of their bond with life, they have the ability to sense it. Not all life, though. Only the specific lives of people, other animals, or something they may have loved. If a loved one is sick, an elf that cares immensely for them can sense it. If the loved one dies, that elf is the first person to know. They can feel it. Because of this, elfin mothers don't require a trip to the doctor's to know if they bear a child. They automatically sense it, even, for the elves more deeply in touch with life, at the precise moment of conception. For others, it takes less than a day to sense it.**

**That was Holly's "problem". She was simply pregnant.**

**Now, when I say "simply", of course it is highly exaggerated. To Holly, it was everything but simple. She was only three decades old, and training to be a police officer, for Frond's sakes. She was ****not**** ready to take on the responsibility of being a mother. She wasn't exactly what you would call a "natural-born mother", despite her being an elf. She could barely take care of herself, let alone a child. Something so delicate in the hands of the likes of Holly. **

**Which brought Holly to face a huge decision. Keep the baby or give it up for adoption. The force of the realization brought stinging tears to Holly's eyes. She knew very well that she couldn't do either. Keeping the baby was entirely out of the question to her. She was in school, about to become a police officer. And if she ever revealed the fact that she was pregnant to the school, she would be kicked out for sure, leaving the baby with a mother that has no job, and no crutch. Her parents would kill her if they found out. So would Trouble. There was no doubt that it was his. This scared Holly. What would Trouble think?**

**And Holly just knew that if she had the baby, she wouldn't be able to give it up for adoption. Elves rarely ever did. They would grow so attached to it that they wouldn't be able to give it up. Holly knew she would be the same. **

**Holly slightly startled herself by sighing shakily. She felt so distant from herself, and even more distant than the delicate life growing inside her. With a deep breath, Holly slid the material of her shirt up to reveal her belly. The evidence of her pregnancy was not yet visible, but Holly could just imagine the smallest form inside her, developing slowly into a little elf. She gently ran her fingers over the skin of her belly, shaking with suppressed sobs. **

**A third option had just slithered its way into Holly's mind. Holly thought it so evil, it brought tears to her eyes that dripped onto her hand. She couldn't. But what else could she do? Holly felt utterly helpless. She needed comfort. She put her shirt back down and picked up a maroon pillow from the edge of her bed, burying her face in it. Her room dully echoed with her muffled sobs as she let the flood of emotion run through her. She knew it was the only choice. She simply couldn't take care of the baby.**

**With a sniffle and a sob, she took the pillow away from her face, wiping tears from her hazel eyes. She lifted her shirt back up and held her belly lightly again. Before she knew what she was doing, Holly started to talk to the little one growing inside her.**

"**Hey, you," she whispered hoarsely, with a voice she didn't recognize. "I know you're in there. I feel you in there. And I already love you." Holly's voice broke and tears came to her eyes again. "You don't know how precious you are to me. And it's only been a few hours. My only regret… is that you got me for a mother. I don't deserve you. You are too special. I can feel it. My baby…I love you so much." **

**Holly's breaths shuddered and she trembled with sadness. "That's why I am so sorry for what I have to do. I hate myself for it. You would have been great. And I have no right to do it. But there is no other way." She stroked her belly shakily as she talked and cried. "I am so sorry. You deserve so much greater than me. Please forgive me, little one. You are so perfect, and I love you. Please forgive me."**

**Holly's body shook violently with her sobs. She was exhausted, physically and emotionally. She laid down, and with trembling fingers, shut her lamp off. She sat in the darkness, stroking her belly and whispering, "I love you. Please forgive me," over and over again, until she sank slowly into a restless sleep.**

**Tomorrow, she would call the doctor.**

* * *

Was that not the sweetest thing you ever saw? *sniff*


	12. Confessions

**Mmkay. This is the chapter where everything is explained. It is not the end, so don't even ask me. But the next one is. *holds ears***

After two more days in the cell, Holly had almost lost her mind.

She had been sleeping for short periods, then waking up to find that her kidnappers still hadn't given her any more food. She would then mumble curses to herself. She occasionally asked herself a question, expecting an answer. And when none came, she felt like a fool. Finally, Holly grew so hungry that she had been forced to eat the apple from the floor when she had thrown it.

Holly hadn't written anything since that first day. The paper mocked her with the secrets she could reveal to it. So instead of upsetting herself again, she decided to do some exercises. Right now, she had leaned her cot upright against the wall and was doing push-ups on the clear floor beneath. Each time she pushed herself off the cement, she grunted, exhaled in a short burst, and then lowered herself to the floor again. She could feel herself losing it, and that angered her. '_I should be stronger than this,_' she thought, scolding herself.

Holly started to do her push-ups more rapidly, growing more and more frustrated. The cut in her foot started to throb as her heart beat faster. She hadn't bothered to heal it the day she cut it.

Finally, she grew so angry that she sprang up and punched the wall in frustration. She cried out in pain and looked at her hand. Scrapes surrounded her knuckles and oozed rosy blood. Holly winced at the sight. She had submitted to hurting herself in order to stay sane. Really smart, she scolded.

She tiredly healed her cuts, blue sparks flashing on the walls. Then she sat on the floor, feeling defeated. Whatever her kidnappers had wanted, they sure as hell were getting it. Holly felt helpless, reminding her of how she had felt in the academy. Holly rubbed her legs, feeling a sudden chill. That was the last thing she wanted to think about. She hadn't told anyone what she had done, and maybe that's why she had felt so distant for so many years. Maybe it was time to confess to someone. Anyone.

The paper in the corner of the cell caught Holly's gaze. She chewed her lip indecisively. The last time she had written on it, it had inadvertently opened up emotions Holly had long kept locked away. But it seemed like the only choice at this point.

With a sigh, Holly picked up the paper and began to write again.

_Alright. I'm back. I'm not entirely sure how this is going to help, but here we go._

_I suppose I have to be honest with someone, even if it is myself. My only fear is that I will hate myself again, like I did before. I mean, I still hate myself for doing it, there's no doubt about that. But I haven't thought about it in so long, it was almost like I was over it. But I know, I will never be able to get over it. Not something that evil. Ok, quit it, Holly. Move on._

_See that? More evidence that I'm going crazy. Ugh, that's encouraging._

_Anyway. Back to the point. The Holly Short that people see everyday isn't all the way through who I really am. A focused, disciplined, tough LEP officer doesn't even begin to dissect who I truly am, or was. Not even close. I never used to be this way._

_I suppose that all changed the night of what's-his-face's party. Rain, something. I don't remember. I suppose I should. I mean he almost… you know. But I guess that as time went on after that night, his name, who he was, it all became irrelevant. I can barely remember anything from that night, anyway. But what he did is something that I won't easily forget. That, in a way, changed me a lot. I learned to defend myself, so something like that would never happen again. _

_Though Trouble did mess up his face pretty good. Heheh._

_Ah, yes. The subject of Trouble. Well, I suppose I can't deny it any longer. I felt something back then, and I'm starting to feel it again. I know he's never stopped feeling it. In a way, he reminds me of his brother. Both are not that great at concealing their true feelings. But Grub takes that to a whole new level… _

_But anyway. I never told Trouble what happened. And look, I still have a hard time confessing it. I have only ever told…myself. I suppose…Well, here goes._

_Yes. I was pregnant with Trouble's child._

…_That was a lot easier done than said. _

_I made myself laugh. Well, it was a funny statement. Highly ironic._

_But now is not a laughing time. The keywords in what I said were "_was _pregnant with Trouble's child". Was. For a total of four days. Four lonely, uncomfortable, sad days. But despite it all, I loved that baby. That's why it killed me when…_

_I can't say it. Still haven't forgiven myself. I don't know if I'll ever be able to say it. _

_No. I have to. It is the first step to moving on. Confessing it to myself. Wow. It's been forty years, and I'm still on step one. _

_Deep breath, Holly. You can do it._

_…I…had an abortion._

_Not easily said or done._

_Shit. See? You got me crying._

_I did. I got an abortion. Four days after that night. It was a miracle that I could find a doctor that would do it. The others shooed my away in disgust. I don't blame them. I would have done the same thing. Abortions aren't very popular among fairies. Compared to the humans, we need all of the numbers we can get. It doesn't exactly help that we can only reproduce every twenty years, either. But anyway._

_Once I finally did find someone to do it, I almost went insane with grief. They had to hold me down on the operating table, I was shaking and crying so much. I already felt an overwhelming love for my child. Trouble's child. _

_One of my many regrets was that Trouble didn't get a say in the matter. I just went ahead and did it anyway. He didn't get the chance to say hello. Or goodbye. I suppose it would have been better that way. My mind was made up, no matter how evil it felt. I couldn't take care of it alone, and I couldn't tell Trouble. Now that I think of it, he would have helped me anyway. Great. That makes me regret my decision even more. But I can't change anything, no matter how much I want to. It's already done. _

_I finally went back to school, a week after that night. I didn't talk to anyone, didn't fully participate in any of my classes, not even Flight Session, and I ignored Trouble when he called across the halls for me. Until lunch._

_He sat across from me then, insisting that I tell him what was wrong with me. Instead of answering him, like I should have, I started to cry. I walked away from him, trying to stop the overwhelming grief that I felt._

_I still remember those few confused days with such clarity, except the one that matters most._

_I know he wanted to follow me as I walked out of the cafeteria. He wanted to follow me with all of his heart. But he didn't._

_That lunch, I went into the bathroom._

_I looked at myself long in the mirror. I looked so defeated, which was how I felt. _

_No one was in the bathroom at the time._

_I remember the feeling of the cold blade in my hand. I had stolen it from the cafeteria._

_You have to understand how bad I felt then. I had just killed a little child. A child that deserved life, even if it wasn't one with me. I deserved to die for what I had done. I remember pulling the sleeve up on my shirt, revealing rows of cuts. _

_I felt like I had deserved pain. I felt like I needed to be punished. But I also wanted to make sure that I still felt something. Killing my child had felt so heartless. _

_That was what I had submitted to. Hurting myself. As punishment for my child's death. _

_If it weren't for the little magic I had left, I would have died that lunch. I had cut too deep._

_But I stopped myself before it was too late. I had just enough magic to replace the blood I had lost. It was a lot of blood. _

_I sat in that bathroom the rest of the day. Trying to clean up the mess. I didn't care about the classes I had missed. It all felt so distant and irrelevant. As if none of it mattered._

_But as the last bell rang, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. Dark bags made my eyes seem sunk in their sockets. Tears were still wet on my cheeks. My hair was messed and my clothes were sprinkled with various stains. I took a long, hard look. I felt so ashamed of myself. I had let myself get that bad. I vowed that, from then on, I would be stronger, more committed. I would have more self-respect, and I wouldn't hang on the past._

_And look where it got me. In a cell, trying to hold back on all the suppressed emotion. Not healthy, I know._

_I guess it's time that I truly let myself cry._

Holly was interrupted by a sudden familiar voice that flowed into her cell.

**Hmmm... Very dramatic, no?**

**Please review. And the next chapter will get here quicker.**


	13. Butterflies

**Well, here it is, Ladies and Germs. The end. *gives a tissue to all of you* Yep, yep. I know. But it was good while it lasted, wasn't it? Mmmm... So good. And I'm the one that wrote it :)**

**But anyway. Please read and review. I already love a lot of you, but still. Review, please. *puppy dog eyes***

Holly sat in the copilot's seat of the shuttle she was in, staring a hole through the window. She was still enraged that Foaly and Trouble had to kidnap her just to prove a point to a bunch of recruits with holes in their heads. She planned on killing the first of that pair that she saw.

The thing that confused her most again, was the paper that he had given her. Foaly wasn't one to be random. He had put that paper in there for a reason. This sent little butterflies to Holly's belly. What if he had seen what she had written? Worse, what if Trouble had seen it? That thought chilled Holly. What would he think? She had revealed so many private things all at once.

Holly was pulled from her thoughts as the young corporal in the pilot's seat hit another tunnel wall. He apologized, fumbling with the controls with a rookie's hands. Holly rolled her eyes and shoved the corporal out of the seat. She grabbed the controls and expertly maneuvered through the tunnels, smoothly avoiding corners and turns. The corporal looked on sheepishly, suppressing a grin at the thought of being taught by the master.

But Holly wasn't interested in teaching lessons. She needed something to get her mind off the delicious thought of squeezing the life from Foaly.

Oh, such a delicious thought, she crooned, smiling.

Trouble was waiting anxiously at the shuttle port for Holly's arrival, butterflies doing back flips in his stomach. After what he had read, his mind was still in shock. But what she had written explained so much. She had gotten pregnant with his child. _His _child. This thought brought tears to Trouble's eyes. He had had a child. For a short time, he had been a father. For a short time.

Then Holly had gotten an abortion. While every molecule in Trouble's body wanted to grieve the loss, he found himself understanding Holly's actions. She had no choice. He knew that. And, surprisingly, he forgave her. He didn't fully understand why, but he found himself not able to be angry or even disgusted with Holly. It didn't seem possible to him. He loved her too damn much.

Trouble sighed, sticking his hand in his pocket, his fingers brushing Holly's butterfly necklace. Trouble thought of what his life would be like now, if Holly hadn't gotten the abortion. He sure as hell wouldn't be in the LEP, that's for sure. Neither would Holly. It was hard for Trouble to imagine any other life outside the LEP. And he would only be forty years older than his child. Trouble wondered where he and Holly would have ended up. Probably not together. But maybe.

Trouble smiled lightly at that thought. All these years he had respected and liked Holly, he had always imagined what their lives would have been like together. Especially after what had happened in the Academy. He supposed that what Holly had written was true: He still did feel things for her. Perhaps stronger than ever now that her secrets had been revealed. He was still overwhelmingly baffled at how many masks she had put on over the years. She had seemed so strong after the Academy. Changed and new. And Trouble finally knew why.

Trouble's thoughts were interrupted as a shuttle became visible from down the tunnel. '_Holly_,' Trouble thought.

As Holly eased the shuttle down the tunnel, she caught a glimpse of the shuttle port and a single form standing on it. '_Trouble,'_ she thought. Sure enough, as the shuttle drew closer, Trouble's face was illuminated in it's headlights. Among the fury, Holly felt something else. But that something else would have to wait until later, because she had some males to decapitate.

Holly opened the shuttle door and stepped out. She started to stride toward him, beginning her lecture. If she would have been a bit slower, she would have noticed the tears glistening in Trouble's eyes.

"Trouble Kelp, just what the hell did--"

Holly was interrupted as Trouble suddenly caught her in his arms. His face was smothered into her shoulder and he held her tightly. Holly choked on her words, surprised. She wasn't exactly expecting this reaction. She expected fear, terror, possibly messed trousers, if she was lucky. Instead, she found herself smothered in Trouble's arms.

Holly was about to swat Trouble across the head when she heard him choke back a sob. He clung to her even more tightly and sighed shakily into her shoulder. Holly's brow bent with concern. She didn't know what to do. She hesitantly laid her arms across Trouble's back, awkwardly returning his embrace. She felt him slightly relax and start to pull from her arms.

As Trouble drew back to face Holly, she was startled to see the exhaustion and worry in his eyes. Pure confusion replaced her anger.

"But, what--I thought you were the one--" she stuttered.

Trouble shook his head, trying to regain the composure he had lost. "It's not--," he choked out.

Holly frowned. And then a cold realization swept across her face. He had seen what she had written. Tears started to form in Holly's eyes as well. "How much do you know?" she whispered quietly.

Trouble reached out and stroked her cheek with one hand. "Everything," he whispered back.

Holly looked deeply into Trouble's chocolate brown eyes and found the truth in them. She stifled a sob, feeling the past emotions coming back once more. Trouble saw her discomfort and wiped a tear away with his fingertips. He felt as if he was forty years younger and back in the academy. With this thought, he slowly brought his lips closer to Holly's. She didn't back away.

He kissed her softly at first, testing how she would react. She kissed back tenderly, hesitantly. His kiss was the same as it had been back then: slow and careful, as if her lips would break. So she pressed her lips to his with confidence, wrapping her arms around his neck. Trouble took this opportunity to slide his arms around her back and pull her into him. Something he had yearned to do for a long time. He breathed in her lavender smell deeply. It didn't matter to him that she hadn't showered for five days. Holly still smelled like heaven to him.

Finally, they broke apart to breathe. They held each other's gaze for a moment. Then Holly closed her eyes and leaned her forehead on Trouble's chest. After a few seconds she whispered, "I'm sorry you had to find out that way. I always meant to tell you. I just--I didn't know how."

Trouble sighed deeply and kissed the top of Holly's head. "I just can't believe you kept it secret for so long. I had no idea what was happening to you. I had been so worried." Trouble took her face in his hands like he had done all those years ago. She looked at him with wide eyes, full of sad tears. He smiled softly. "Gods, I love you. But you know that already, don't you?"

Holly gave him a small smile and nodded.

Trouble wiped her cheek again. He leaned in and kissed her deeply, savoring her soft lips.

As she embraced him again, he slid his hand into his pocket and pulled out the diamond butterfly necklace. He smoothly linked it around her neck, so softly that she didn't notice, and then wrapped his arms around her back again, hoping the moment would stretch on forever.

**Well, that's it. Pretty sweet if I do say so myself. And I do! But if I didn't I wouldn't be much of an author. So, anyway. Buhbye for now!**

**~~BlackWidowPretty**


	14. Dreams

**Ah... Hi..... Yeah, I was on the fence about posting this. I still am not entirely sure.**

**I wrote an epilogue... That was originally part of a deal with Forrbidden Moanz... **

**But.... Well, I'm in a very good mood today (Despite the fact that I got shots...), and I can't let you guys miss out on anything.**

**:) Love it, or not. **

**Read on, my chocolate bunnies...**

Holly Short and Trouble Kelp lay together on the latter's bed, close and cuddling as if they had been doing it forever. Trouble held Holly's hand gently, running his fingertips along her forearm. His eyes were closed blissfully, her lavender scent enveloping his senses. He lay on his side, with Holly on her back beside him. He had imagined this situation in his wildest dreams, and now that he was in it, he felt perfect.

Holly was a bit less blissful. After almost five decades of hiding her secrets, they were finally out. Holly had mixed feelings about this. On one hand, it was a relief to shed the most burdensome mask she had carried all those years. But she knew that Trouble would never see her in the same way. And it felt awkward when Trouble had been so accepting of the news. She honestly didn't want to ruin the moment with her worries, but they still shadowed the happiness that she tried to feel.

And now Foaly knew. Holly winced at the thought. No doubt Foaly would either give her hell about it, or simply stay silent. Holly wasn't sure which one was worse.

Trouble seemed to sense her discomfort and opened his eyes to gaze at her beautiful features, clouded with doubt. He understood how difficult this was for her.

He moved his hand so his knuckles brushed her coffee-colored cheek. "What's wrong?" he asked softly.

Holly looked tiredly at him. His eyes were so caring, she couldn't help but give him the smallest smile. She cast her gaze back to the ceiling and sighed softly. "I don't know," she murmured quietly. Her hazel eyes settled back on his face again. "What do you think? I mean, about what you saw. What I wrote."

Trouble didn't answer for a moment. His eyes grew distant, fogging with the depths of a memory. "To be honest," he said after a few moments, "There isn't a word to describe what I felt." He laughed softly as regret washed over Holly's face. "I mean, I felt so many indescribable things. I felt confused, yet understanding. Sad, surprised, thankful. Relieved, even. You really scared me back then. I though I was going to lose you." His gaze became sad and sympathetic. "But you lost something greater, didn't you?"

Holly's bottom lip trembled slightly and her eyes filled again with tears. When she spoke, her voice shook with emotion. "I was so scared, Trouble. I was terrified. I didn't know what would happen and I didn't know what I was doing and I couldn't tell you, and--"

Trouble laughed and halted her speech with a finger to her lips. He wiped a tear from her cheek and whispered, "I know. I realize how hard it must have been for you. How hard it still is now." The glitter of love found his brown eyes. "You know you can tell me anything. I'm always here for you. No matter what."

Holly let out a soft laugh. "You're so cliché, Trouble," she said, a smile sweetening her voice.

Trouble smiled, too, for a moment. Then, after a hesitation, he asked, "What was it like? Knowing something that big, when we were so young? What was that like?"

Sorrow clouded Holly's features, and Trouble immediately regretted asking. But she still answered, her voice quiet and muffled with remorse. "It tore me apart," she whispered. "You saw what I wrote. What I almost became after I--" She swallowed and closed her eyes, still unable to face the overwhelming truth. She tried lamely to hide her shame by changing the subject.

"What'll we do tomorrow, when we go back to the LEP? I don't think the other officers will be very happy to hear about their Commander's 'favorite.'"

Trouble chuckled lightly. "Well, if I know Foaly, he's already told half the LEP, plus Vinyaya, who will probably leak it to every living thing in Section Eight. Or," he said when he saw Holly grimace, "he hasn't told a soul. Maybe he understands."

"Yeah," said Holly softly. "Maybe." She fumbled with her own fingers nervously as the fading sunstrips cast shadows across Trouble's room through the window.

After a few moments of silence, Trouble whispered, "Should I take you home? It's getting late…"

Holly took his hand in hers and laced their fingers together. "Nah," she murmured. "I'll make it home ok. I should get going anyway. I still have to do some paperwork."

Trouble frowned slightly. "You were in a cell for five days and you still have paperwork?"

Holly rolled her hazel eyes. "Long story."

"I see."

Trouble knew that all this chat was just to cover up the sorrow that Holly had to have been feeling. He shifted up onto his elbow so he was slightly over Holly's head. He bent down and softly kissed her. Her fingertips ran along his jaw line as she deepened the kiss, thankful for the feeling of security in gave to her. She still didn't understand how Trouble could be so accepting about everything. Ugh, there she went again, ruining the moment with her worries. But as she felt Trouble's soft lips on hers, she shed her doubts and pulled him closer, unwilling to let him go.

After a few moments, Trouble gently broke their kiss and looked deeply into Holly's wide, beautiful hazel eyes. He stroked her cheek gently with his fingertips and she smiled lightly.

"Thank you for my necklace, by the way," she whispered. "It means so much to me." She moved her head so that her nose gently brushed his.

He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her into his chest. "You're welcome," he said, his voice carried out on a sigh.

Holly's eyes started to droop sleepily. "I should probably get home," she murmured.

Trouble nodded gently into her shoulder. "Mmm…I'll walk you there," he whispered. Neither elf moved from their embrace.

Holly curled up in Trouble's arms, her eyes sliding closed. After a moment, her muffled murmur reached Trouble's ear. "I love you."

A small smile decorated the male elf's face. His heart swelled in his chest. He kissed her shoulder gently and whispered, "I love you, too. More than you know."

But Holly was already drifting into a wonderful sleep, laced with passion and memory. Trouble stroked her back as he, too, fell slowly into sleep. The two elves dreamt of each other, of the happy, wonderful adventures of their love.

* * *

**Cheeeeeesy. Flllluuuuuffffyy. Cheesy fluff. Fluffy cheese. Moldy crackers. Seasoned olives. Whatever you choose to have for dinner, make sure it's unhealthy. :)**

**Well... Yeah, I know. If you liked it without the epilogue, that's okay, just pretend the epilogue doesn't even exist. And if you liked it with, good. Great! :) :) **

**HASTA LUEGO!**


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